Employee gift cards: why freedom of choice makes all the difference

Employee expectations have changed. What used to work—standard gifts or one-off benefits—often falls short today. Top talent no longer wants just a good salary to stay committed. They need to feel recognized through a benefits package that complements their income.

In this new landscape, companies are seeking more flexible alternatives. That's where employee gift cards are emerging as one of the most effective solutions.

Why are gift cards a growing trend?

According to research by the Gift Card & Voucher Association, 72% of employees said that receiving a gift card made them feel more positive about their employer. Similarly, 85% said that small rewards help them feel more valued and improve their relationship with the organization.

And why are they so relevant? Basically, because gift cards enable something critical: freedom of choice. Instead of imposing a benefit, the company gives employees the ability to decide how to use it. And that changes everything.

The problem with traditional benefits

Many companies that haven't adopted digital platforms to unify their benefits strategy still operate with models like:

• Physical gifts
• Standardized kits
• Underutilized benefits

This approach can work in isolated cases. However, it's neither efficient nor useful at medium or large scale. The result?

• Low adoption
• Wasted HR
• budget

Weak emotional connection

For your company, this means one thing: spending money on a benefit that isn't perceived as one.

The advantage of employee gift cards

• Gift cards solve these problems in a simple and scalable way:
• Each person chooses what they truly want, improving benefit perception
• They adapt to different profiles and ages

They're easy to distribute (especially for remote teams)

• Plus, they cover multiple categories in [discounts and offers](https://www.maslow.hr/descuentos):
• Daily essentials (food, groceries)
• Entertainment
• Retail

Digital wallets

…among many others!

Impact on the employee experienceWhen a person can choose, the benefit stops being generic and becomes relevant.

• This directly impacts:
• Satisfaction
• Engagement

Company perceptionIt's seen as part of an ongoing recognition strategy

. Every time an employee uses a gift card, they feel the company recognizes their value.

Gift cards + digital platforms: the next level

• The real potential emerges when gift cards are integrated into a digital benefits platform. This enables:
• Centralization of all incentives
• Usage and adoption tracking
• Automated delivery

Frictionless strategy scaling

In other words: retain talent by generating a greater sense of belonging and commitment to the company.

Transform your benefits with Maslow

Employee gift cards pave the way to a new approach to incentives: more flexible, personalized, and aligned with what each person truly values.

Giving freedom of choice not only improves the employee experience, it also optimizes investment and increases adoption.

Leading companies are already powering their strategy with Maslow, integrating gift cards and multiple redemption options on a single platform.Want to discover if your benefits strategy is optimized? Do it for free here

.It's time to evolve your benefits with Maslow.